alde
Member
I want to get an IWB holster for my full size Kimber Custom II. Do you guys feel safe carring a cocked and locked 1911 in an open top holster with no thumb break? I was looking at a Summer Special or similar.
Open top IWB holster for 1911?
- Thread starter alde
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OP
alde
Member
I want to get an IWB holster for my full size Kimber Custom II. Do you guys feel safe carring a cocked and locked 1911 in an open top holster with no thumb break? I was looking at a Summer Special or similar.
postman93
US Veteran
I carry my Colt Officer model in a Galco RG218 now. Before that I had a custom one. As long as the holster is molded to the particular model it should fit tight. I never had a problem no matter what activity I was doing. Make sure you get one with a sweat shield on it it helps during the summer months. Mike
Spotteddog
Member
That Kimber likely has an ambi safety? If so, you may want to consider a rig that will keep it from getting swept off?
YMMV
YMMV
photoman
Member
Aw shoot. Don't worry about that. As long as your finger is off the trigger, it wont go off. At least that's what the Glock owners say.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
I carry a Kimber Pro Carry II .45ACP, full size frame, 4" slide/barrel group. Cocked and locked all the time. No worries with the proper holster.
Actually, with many of the holsters I see on the market I would be more worried about the pressure of the holster on the magazine release popping the mag loose than I would be about the thumb safety being dislodged.
Actually, with many of the holsters I see on the market I would be more worried about the pressure of the holster on the magazine release popping the mag loose than I would be about the thumb safety being dislodged.
Spotteddog
Member
The voice of experience, I'll not argue with!
LuddhaBuddha
Member
I carry mine without a strap and have had no problem at all, infact I've heard of thumb safeties being swiched off because of the strap.
Spotteddog
Member
For the record, I wasn't speaking of a "strap" holster necessarily?
I was speaking of a system that has the facility designed into the inside side the of the rig, to block the thumb safety from being released. Whether that happens due to forces being generated from outside the holster, or from within.
I was speaking of a system that has the facility designed into the inside side the of the rig, to block the thumb safety from being released. Whether that happens due to forces being generated from outside the holster, or from within.
cmort666
Member
Absolutely. I frequently carry a Norinco M1911 in a Don Hume 715M IWB. I've never felt that there was any danger of it ending up outside of the holster without me drawing it. I suppose that if I were running the decathlon with it, I might feel differently...
I've carried a Springfield Champion (Combat Commander clone) in .45 ACP in an open-top IWB holster for years, walking, running (not too much, I'm getting too old for that), driving, flying the plane, riding a motorcycle, etc. Never any problem with retention or wiping the thumb safety off. You need a good belt, taughtly fastened, and the gun will stay put. On the other hand, I also use a DeSantis Thumb Break Speed Scabbard, and it almost always wipes the thumb safety to the off position at some point (usually within a short time of snapping the thumb break closed, if not immediately. I don't like that much; furthermore, the position of the snap has, over the years, made a circular wear pattern (shiny, not worn through) in the parkerizing on the slide - don't like that, either. My recommendation on IWB carry of a 1911? A good quality open-top IWB holster, combined with a good quality belt (very, very important). You can't go wrong with that combo - comfortable, good retention, yet rapid draw, and excellent concealment.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
There are so many variations in thumb safeties for the 1911 pistols (length, width, thickness, contour, etc) that it would be impossible to devise a holster feature that would secure them all against contact or movement. This type feature would require a holster custom-fitted to your pistol (or a factory standard version of same). That holster might, or might not, properly fit any other pistol of same type but with a different thumb safety design (in fact, such a feature might perform just the opposite with another pistol/thumb safety).
In short, a real challenge for the holster-maker, true custom work which few customers are willing to pay for. Even then, unless your holster maker is local, there would be added hassles and expenses of getting the pistol to the holster-maker and having it returned to you (FFL at each end, next-day air service two ways, overall would probably add $120 to $150 transfer expenses to the price of the custom-made holster).
I have had a few requests for just this type of feature, but not a single customer wanted to pay the costs involved in making it happen. And if I ever do get an order for this type of thing, the holster will be clearly inscribed with make, model, and serial number of the pistol and the customer will sign a release and hold harmless agreement before I deliver the holster to him.
OP
alde
Member
Thanks for all the great info. I feel better about wanting an open top IWB. I use open top holsters for my revolvers (IWB and Pancake)and they work great. Never had a retention problem. My real worry was the safety. The safety on my pistol in not an ambi and is not oversized. It also locks into safe position firmly.
safearm
US Veteran
I used to daily carry a Colt Combat Commander in a Milt Sparks Summer Special. The only other IWB that I think is close to being as good is a Blackhawk Leather IWB (I don't have one for a 1911, but I do carry a Walther P99 in it). I never had a problem with the safety on the 1911, gun always remained comfortable and secure.
Spotteddog
Member
My concern as far as it went, was due to the guns coming with thumb safeties now on both sides, with dimensions typical of a diving board rather than the original. Add to it sharp corners on the thumb paddles and you've designed in a PITA. And I can fully understand L/G/L's reluctance without insulating himself from the issues. The one 1911' I still carry has had the ambi paddles mowed down to near G.I. dimensions and texture. And on that gun, it doesn't matter what holster it's carried in. Cocked and Locked has a picture of a Com-Comm he had the same done to.
Marshal Tom
Member
I have carried a 1911 of some sort for 28+ years and many times in a Milt Sparks Summer Special which I still have. I am left handed and have had problems with the ambi safety being wiped off while carrying the weapon. I have had the standard type safety installed on my guns and it cured the problem. These are Colt ambi safties. They look identical to the original, with no extentions.
I love the Summer Special.
Tom
I love the Summer Special.
Tom
I like a retention device on all my holsters even though 99.9% of the time they are not necessary.
Spotteddog
Member
Marshal Tom,
Does Colt's still make that item?
Does Colt's still make that item?
There are a lot of good holsters out there, but I think that Milt Sparks' interpretation of the late Bruce Nelson's "Summer Special" is about the best IWB rig for a 1911. I have a fullsize that Milt himself built for me back in the 70's, and I use it often. I also have a newer one for a 3" 1911 that surprised me at how well it retains the short-barreled gun.
Buck
Buck
babarracing
Member
Cabo (Carry A Big One) lane Raab makes a great Holster for 1911'S and My Cabo is Just as Good as My Milt Sparks VM2. But it (cabo) was not dyed and $60.00 cheaper. JMHO. It's caboholsters.com
